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Healthy Tips for Keeping Your Weight Under Control

In this day and age many are seeing their weight go up, up and up. Obesity levels are out of control. What is causing this problem? I know for sure that when your body is not getting the nutrition it needs – it sets up a craving to keep eating more. Most people fail to realize that processed foods don’t have the nutrients their bodies require. So, if one is constantly craving food, he/she needs to concentrate on eating foods that satisfy one’s nutrient requirements.

Processed foods contain empty calories. They don’t do anything for your health. Many people today are eating mainly junk food and drinking diet sodas. They think that low cal sweeteners are benefiting them, but they have no idea that they are designed to make them eat and drink more – they are not going to contribute to weight-loss. They are also dangerous to the brain..

A big problem that few realize…many people are dehydrated and they mistake this for hunger. Are you in this category? Drinking enough water could help stop food cravings in many cases. Are you really hungry or are you thirsty? There is an interesting book on this subject “Your Bodies Many Cries for Water,“ by an Indian researcher Fereydoon Batmanghelidj, MD.

It is most important after sleeping all night that we replenish our water in the morning. I recommend starting the day with an 8 – 12 oz cup of nutrient-rich Moringa Tea; adding 2 oz of lemon juice and sweetening it with stevia (zero calories). I, personally, follow this with two more cups of herb tea or water, before I have a fruit smoothie.

Around noon I finally will get around to making a smoothie; using blue berries (4oz) and strawberries (4 oz), plus, 12 oz of bananas, which contain 4 grams of protein; along with ½ oz of freshly ground chia seeds ( 3 grams of protein). The chia gives body to the smoothie, which is filling. If you feel a need for more protein add a raw certified organic egg or two (six to 12 grams of protein). I use 12 oz of cold distilled water in this breakfast drink, but if you aren’t able to handle a 32 oz + drink…cut back on the water, one of the eggs and a banana.

Some people have a problem handling larger amounts of food, because they have been eating small compact calorie-dense portions of food. When they get used to eating high-water content foods, they will find that their appetites will be better satisfied. It will be easier to keep away from the wrong foods.

Many people in this country have a major problem with diabetes, because they have broken down their pancreas from eating too many grains and high sugar-content foods. Then they find that even eating fruit moderately is a problem. I know some people who can’t handle more than one 4 ounce piece of fruit. Some health researchers think this is the norm, because so many have this problem. How many are aware of the dangers of eating grains, which overwhelms the pancreas? There is a great book called Dangerous Grains (James Braly, MD and Ron Hoggan, MA) It may be purchased on Amazon. I do know some very healthy people who know how to eat right – and they can handle pounds of fruit easily. They have wisely avoided grains and sugar.

Fruit is the natural food of mankind and is best eaten raw. It has many nutrients in it, plus bulk and fiber. It is very filling, if you eat enough. If you have a problem, such as, feeling spacey…go slowly. It is a sign that your pancreas is not working well. However, by slowly increasing the amount of fruit you are eating…your body will begin to heal and you will be able to handle more fruit.

There are right fruits and wrong fruits. I tell people to avoid dried fruits, including raisins, because of their high sugar content, Dates are also loaded with too much sugar. Another fruit to avoid is green grapes…mostly sugar. We need fruits that have a high water content. The melon family is the highest, but don’t eat melons unless they are organic. Their roots go into the soil and when they are sprayed the pesticide goes into the soil. Many think, because their skins are so thick that there won’t be a problem, but they take in pesticide through their roots – and it goes into their flesh.

If you aren’t too good with fruit, then go for vegetable salads at lunchtime. Raw food has enzymes…cooked food doesn’t. Without enzymes the food can’t nourish your cells right. When we are younger, our organs function much better. As we age, the organs start slowing down and it becomes harder for them to function and keep you well. If you value your health, you will eat the foods that don’t require as much work in order to be broken down…#1 is fruit and #2 raw vegetables. If you need protein, then try certified organic raw eggs. If you cook them, it is best to cook them over easy and not scramble them. The less cooking the better. The same goes for grass-grazed organic lamb; I don’t recommend beef.

The last blog I did was: Eating Fish: Safe or Toxic? There weren’t too many fish that were non-toxic. Wild Alaskan salmon was said to be one of the better ones, but it won’t be long before it will be on the endangered list. Sardines seem to be better, because they are vegetarian fish. If you have a salad at night with spinach, tomatoes and sardines…along with a vegetable drink such as, organic carrot juice and spinach…you would find it quite satisfying.

Dr. Norman Walker gave many recipe ideas in his Raw Fruit and Vegetable Salad book. He emphasized the importance of juicing, but he also promoted whole fruit and vegetable salads. He lived over 110 healthy years. He wasn’t into meat, fish, poultry, grains or most dairy, but he did use raw cream on his berries. Dr. Walker was both mentally and physically sharp, until he made his transition. He wrote his last book at 105 years of age.…and he was walking five miles daily, until he passed on. He was in a car accident right before he died or he probably would have lived longer.

In 1980 I met a man who had followed Dr. Walker’s food recommendations, since he was 16 years of age. At fifty he looked like a 30 year old with a full head of hair…no gray and no glasses. He had a 28 inch waist and he was beating out 25 year old men in physique contests. He ate fruit all day long and a huge salad at night. He didn’t eat any animal protein. He was a prime example for a man of fifty.

The main reason for eating is nourishment…not just to satisfy our taste buds. If we thought about nutrition first…we wouldn’t have weight problems. In order to eat right, we must not bring things into our homes that “lead us into temptation.” If these substances weren’t handy, we could stick with the foods that were designed for our bodies; primarily fruit and vegetables. It is a matter of changing the way that we think about foods. We can’t rely on doctors to tell us what to eat. They don’t know much about prevention…and few have had even one course in nutrition. We shouldn’t rely on the Food Industry to tell us what to eat. They are primarily interested in selling their expensive processed foods. What we need most of all is good old fashioned common sense.

Nourishment means energy production. When you eat carbs, they give you energy. The best carbs for energy come from fruit. If you have little energy, you aren’t eating enough fruit. Sugar won’t do it. Sugar is empty calories that rob your body of nourishment, just to be utilized. Sugar will give you an immediate boost, but it isn’t sustaining. It will boost your energy up, then drop it very rapidly. One of the best fruits for energy happens to be bananas…as they contain carbs, protein and tryptophan too.

I am following Dr. Walker’s lead…doing 5 miles of walking daily. I could do more without effort, but I don’t have the time. I don’t rely on exercise to keep my weight down. I learned years ago that eating right was the answer. In 1981 I did a marathon in 4 hours and 25 minutes…and only lost ½ lb. It taught me that you don’t lose weight by exercising. The only way I can lose weight is by eating sensibly. However, daily exercise is important in keeping your circulatory system working. Movement is life.

My system for losing weight is keeping tabs on the ounces of food I am eating in my food journal. I break my food into three segments: Fruit, Vegetables and Miscellaneous. In order to lose I can’t eat more than 8 – 4 ounce servings of fruit and vegetables. In addition, I can’t eat more than 10 ounces of miscellaneous food that aren’t fruit or vegetables. I keep this daily record. I use a food scale to measure accurately’

I used to count calories, but eating the right food is more important. The health of the organs depends on getting raw nutrients into the cells. How much raw food are you eating? If you aren’t keeping a food journal, how will you be able to determine, if you are getting the nourishment you need? Are you aware of how much fruit you are eating? How many vegetables? Are you aware of how many poor quality foods you are eating that are aging you more rapidly? It is also important to know, which foods are perfect for your body. It took me many years of doing food consultations to learn – which fruits and which vegetables were designed for human consumption. The wrong fruit or vegetable can throw the body out of balance.

My body doesn’t handle fat well. I have learned to keep away from foods that have a high fat content in order to keep my weight under control. Eggs are in this category too. Two eggs have 12 grams of fat; and if they are cooked in butter they can be as high as 24 grams of fat. I have to be ultra careful of excess protein, carbs and fat, if I want to lose. I can’t lose weight eating high protein or high carbs, either.

Another important record I keep in my journal…the amount of water I drink. I make sure that I am getting 64 oz daily. When I tabulate the food and water that I am getting (oz -wise), it is well over 110 oz daily. It isn’t good to drink too much water, too. It can work a hardship on the kidneys and bladder.

In addition, I list the supplements I am using. and It keeps me on track. If I didn’t put them down, I could forget. Plus, it is good to be able to look at my journals to make sure that I am getting the nutrients I need. I do experiment and change from time to time. It would be great, if we could get all the nourishment we needed from our food, but there is no guarantee that even organic food has been composted in a way that it is 100% nutrient-rich.

Speaking of supplements, using Thyroid Helper and Iosol Iodine offered bywww.wellnessresources.com will help your metabolism speed up, so you can lose. Most people in this country have a problem with a thyroid that is not functioning well. I had my doctor check my thyroid and it was not up to par. He wanted to put me on medication, but using the Thyroid Helper and Iosol Iodine healed it. He said that I didn’t need the medication. It took about 4 months.

In order to lose weight successfully. keeping a food journal is a necessity. Amazon carries them for a very low price. Look for a Diet Minder Personal Food and Fitness Journal. I usually buy 3 or 4 at one time…and the shipping is free, if you spend $25.00 The journals cover 3 months at a time. I fill them in every day. There is a place for food, water and an exercise section. I keep other info in it too; such as, the time I go to bed and the time I wake up, etc.

I faithfully record my weight on a daily basis. . If I didn’t do this, I could get in trouble. If I eat out and gain, I will be extra careful about cutting down the next few days. It isn’t easy to eat out without gaining. The wrong food can be a total disaster. .

I have accepted the fact that I must limit my trips to restaurants. When I was younger, I used to love going out to dinner. Today, knowing what I do about food, it isn’t easy finding a healthy restaurant that has better food than I have in my own home. I think twice about eating regular eggs, when I only eat certified organic at home. I would love to be able to have certified organic eggs at my favorite deli, but they would not permit me to bring my own eggs for them to make. It would be against the law. The same goes for grass grazed certified organic lamb…I don’t feel like paying for poor quality unhealthy meat.

Last, but not least, another important factor in losing weight is getting to bed as early as possible. If you don’t get to bed early enough, the metabolism is effected.Also, there will be a tendency to eat closer to bedtime and you will hang on to those calories. The body actually burns up calories more efficiently, when you go to sleep early enough.

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